Chapter 82: Infiltration
"Ah—what a relief!"
Baishi finally woke up from his deep sleep. He stretched, feeling the lingering warmth of the hot spring, and sighed contentedly.
"This was the best sleep I've had in ages," he muttered as he stood up and dressed.
The sky outside had already darkened, signaling the approach of night. Baishi returned to his training chamber, but instead of diving straight into his usual regimen, he paused to reflect.
The recent battle had been a slaughter, and while he had eradicated the enemy forces, the extended fight likely allowed some information to leak.
"I wonder how much was exposed?"
With a flick of his wrist, Baishi activated the Flying Thunder God Technique and teleported to the underground chamber holding his prisoners.
Inside the chamber, three figures sat bound and immobilized: Rain Village's Yuura Maki, Mist Village's Daikura Rikuo, and Cloud Village's Daokan Kaito.
Baishi's sudden arrival drew a sneer from Yuura Maki.
"Baishi, do you truly have no fear of death?" Yuura Maki spat, his voice dripping with venom.
Baishi glanced at him indifferently and snapped, "Silence."
With a wave of his hand, the Curse Mark of Absolute Silence activated. The seals etched on Yuura Maki's body shimmered to life, paralyzing him completely. Only his eyes moved in defiance.
Ignoring Yuura, Baishi approached Daikura Rikuo. The Mist jonin was similarly bound by layers of seals, including the Self-Curse Mark, ensuring he couldn't even channel chakra.
Pressing a hand against Daikura's forehead, Baishi used the Yamanaka Clan's Mind Reading Technique to delve into his memories.
The process was slow and draining, but Baishi meticulously combed through the jonin's mind, piecing together vital information.
Once done, he moved to Daokan Kaito and repeated the process.
The strain was evident as beads of sweat formed on Baishi's brow. Reading the memories of two jonin in such a short span taxed even his formidable mental strength.
Returning to his training chamber, Baishi massaged his temples, reflecting on the information he had uncovered.
Through Daikura's memories, Baishi confirmed that the Mist had yet to learn his identity. Both patrol squads sent to the island had been wiped out without sending back conclusive intelligence.
However, the situation with the Cloud was different. Daokan Kaito's squad had successfully transmitted details about him and his abilities to their village before being intercepted.
"The Mist is in the dark, but the Cloud knows everything," Baishi concluded.
The most likely response from the Cloud would be to deploy assassins. However, given Baishi's mastery of the Flying Thunder God Technique, a rushed attempt would be futile.
The Cloud would need time to strategize, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.
"I don't have to worry about them for now. The Mist, though..."
Daikura's memories revealed that before landing on the island, his team had sent a mission report back to the Mist. Even if they knew nothing about Baishi's identity, they were aware of the island's strategic importance.
The next Mist contingent to arrive would likely consist of their infamous Anbu Black Ops.
"I'll need to prepare," Baishi thought, closing his eyes to focus on meditation.
One week passed.
Under the cover of night, a massive shark emerged from the ocean, its black eyes scanning the shore. After confirming the area was clear, it opened its jaws.
Four figures clad in black cloaks and masks stepped out, their movements silent and precise.
With a flick of its tail, the shark vanished into a puff of smoke, leaving the Anbu agents alone on the shore.
"Move," their leader whispered.
The four agents melted into the shadows, advancing cautiously into the dense forest.
Near the mountain's base, one of the Anbu agents knelt by a scarred tree trunk, running his fingers along the bark.
"There was a major battle here recently," he observed, his voice barely audible.
Another agent approached, holding up a kunai. "And the enemy included Cloud ninjas."
The leader took the kunai, inspecting its craftsmanship.
"No doubt about it—it's Cloud standard issue."
The group exchanged uneasy glances.
"Could this be a Cloud base?" one agent speculated.
As the others debated, the fourth agent called out softly, "Over here. I've found something."
The team gathered around a shallow pit. Inside was a half-buried body clad in Mist armor.
One of the Anbu identified him immediately. "This is Yuuki—a captain from the Third Patrol Squad. He specialized in assassination techniques."
The leader's gaze darkened. "It's confirmed. Something went very wrong on this island."
He scanned the surrounding area, noting the disturbed soil.
"Dig," he ordered.
The Anbu worked in silence, their sharp tools slicing through the dirt.
One by one, more bodies emerged—Cloud ninjas, Mist ninjas, and even a few pirates.
After unearthing over a dozen corpses, the team stopped.
"This isn't just a Cloud operation," the leader concluded grimly. "There's a third party involved."
Unbeknownst to the Anbu, Baishi was watching them from a distance, his chakra perfectly suppressed.
He had been expecting this arrival and was already formulating his next move.
"Four Anbu. Skilled, but not enough to pose a real threat," he mused.
As the Anbu continued their investigation, Baishi silently slipped away, preparing to intercept them before they could relay their findings.
(End of Chapter)